1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to aquariums and, more specifically without limitation, to accessories for aquariums.
2. Description of the Related Art
People love pets. This is evidenced by the fact that the average amount spent on pet supplies has more than doubled since 2001. In many homes, animals are treated as family members, and their health and well-being are of primary concern to their owners. As pets become a part of the family, owners are always looking for new and innovative ways to keep their pets healthy and happy.
When most people hear the word “pet,” they immediately think of dogs or cats, but there are a number of different types of animals that people keep as pets. Some people keep birds. Birds add beauty with their colored plumage and are also prized for their ability to talk or their melodious singing, depending on the type of bird. Other people like more exotic pets such as snakes or lizards. Gerbils, hamsters, and rabbits are frequent pet requests of children.
One type of pet that is found in many homes is fish. Most people find watching fish to be relaxing and calming, and many people keep a fish tank in their home. Many varieties of fish are relatively low maintenance, but it is of utmost importance that a fish tank be properly maintained. Proper maintenance includes regular filter changes and cleaning of the tank walls and substrate materials on a regular basis.
Many people use an aquarium vacuum to clean debris off the aquarium gravel, colored rocks, and coral that are used to line the bottom of the aquarium. Unfortunately, a drawback to aquarium vacuums is that they are only effective at removing debris resting on top of the substrate material. If the wand used for vacuuming is allowed to touch or closely approach the substrate material, the substrate material is sucked into the vacuum along with the debris.
What is needed is a sand/sifter cleaner device for an aquarium which prevents sand and other granular substrates from being sucked into an aquarium cleaning apparatus.